sidman



L t e e h S P t 6 e h S N A D I S D G 0 d 0 M 0 W HOUSE DOOR LETTER BOX.

Inr'enZZr Patented May 24,

(No Model.)

, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. D. SIDMAN. HOUSE DOOR'LETTER BOX.

Patented May 24, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE D. SIDMAN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HOUSE-DOOR LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,473, dated May 24,1892.

Application filed June 2, 1891. Serial No. 394,883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. SIDMAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Washingt-on, in the Districtof Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLetter-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved delivery letter-boxfor dwelling or other houses or places, and also to provide said boxwith a compartment to be used as a receiving-depository; and theinvention consistsin the improvements herein described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, Figure 1 represents a pieceof sheet metal cut the required shape to form the body of the box. Fig.2 represents the lid for closing the openings for the insertion ofmatter into the box. Fig. 3 represents its hinged bottom. Fig. trepresents a piece of sheet metal to be secured at the bottom of theback of the box and to which the hinged bottom is connected. Fig. 5 is aperspective view showing the box as it appears after the parts have beenbent to shape and secured together. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal verticalsection, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the box provided witha receiving-compartment.

In carrying out my invention I take a single piece of sheet metal orother suitable material A and cut it so as to form a central oblong parta for the front of the box, the sections at a a a for its sides and backand the part a to constitute the top of the box. The piece A is bent onthe dotted lines seen in Fig. 1 and the meeting edges of the partssoldered together to form the box, th us constructing the body of thebox from a single piece. The sections a a are cut oblique, as shown at aa and a a so that the top will be inclined downwardly from the back tothe front of the box and the bottom will be inclined downwardly from thefrontto the back of the box, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. The toppiece a is provided with an opening a for the insertion of letters, anda larger opening a for newspapers or other large packages.

Separate compartments for the letters and newspapers are formed by meansof a partition B, hinged to adepending flange b, Fig. 6, on the top aThe part b of the top piece is bent downwardly, as shown in said Fig. 6,to prevent access to the hinges of the partition B.

The lid C is of sheet metal and is of such size as to cover theopeningsin the top of the box and is pivoted thereto between the openings a anda by means of the notches c c on the lid and notches c c on the toppiece a To connect these parts the top a is first slit at 0 so that thenotches c 0 may be made to engage the notches c c, as shown in Figs. 5and 6, and the slit then soldered together. The lid is counterbalancedby a weight 19 pivotally attached to its rear end, so that the slot forthe letters may be opened by a slight pressure upon that end of the lid.

A piece D is secured to the bottom of the back a and is bent as shown inFig. 6,with a part d extending upwardly and against the back a the partd serving to prevent the matter in the box from lodging in the angularrecess at its bottom. Aslot d is made in the piece D, in which ispivoted the hinged bottom E. The hinged connection between these partsis effected in the same way as that between the lid 0 and the top of thebox. The bottom is closed by any suitable lock.

Sight-holes F are provided in the front and partition of the box, theone in the front of the box being covered by a glass plate.

The box is secured in place by means of slots G, having the upperreduced portion g and the lower enlarged portion g'in the back of thebox near its top to engage the supporting-bolts H H in the well-knownmanner, and screws J J, passing through holes I I in the back near thebottom of the box. It will be seen that by this way of fastening the boxin place it cannot be removed without first opening its bottom.

In Fig. 7 the box is provided with a receiving-compartment K. Anadditional opening a is made in the top piece a and a partition B (shownin dotted lines in said figure) forms with the front of the box thiscompartment. A door L is provided in the front of the box through whichthe contents may be taken therefrom. This door is also provided withmeans for looking it. A device is attached to the door of thereceiving-compartment to indicatethe presence orabsence of mail-matter.It consists of a circular pocket M and a disk N rotatable therein,thepocket being cut away to expose a part of the disk. When it is desiredto indicate the presence or absence of matter in the-box, the-disk willbe rotated to bring the proper word or sign on the disk in view.

It will be readily observed that the particular object of the inventionis to provide an improved house letter-box, the construction hereindescribed possessing the many qualities required for such letter-boxes,to wit: simplicity and cheapness, neatness in appearance, reasonablesecurity against fire and theft, protectionagainst rain and the ingressof other objectionable matter, &C.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patout, is-

1'. A letter-box having its body formed from a=single piece A of sheetmetalor other'suitable material cutso as to form the central portion afor the frontof the box, two leaves at opposite sides of said portion a,each having sectiona for the sides of the box and-section a to-form itsback, andthe top piece a provided with an opening or openings for theinsertion of letters, &c., the whole being bent and secured together,substantiallyas shown and described.

2; A letter-box having its body formed from a single pieceA of sheetmetal or other suitable material out so as-to form the central portion afor the front of the box, two leaves at opposite sides of said' portiona, each having section a to form the sides of 'the box andsec- :tion ato form its back, the section a having inclined edges 01/ and a andthetop piece a provided with an opening or openings for the insertion ofletters, &c., the whole being bent and secured together, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. A letter-box comprising the piece A of sheet metal or other suitablematerial out so %as to form the central portion a, sections a a a a andthe top piece a provided with the openings a a, and notches c c, thelidC, having notches c c, the piece D, having slot d, the bottom cover E,and the partition B, all constructed and combined substantially as shownand described.

4. In a letter-box, the plate A, of sheet metal or other suitablematerial, cut so as to form the central portiona, sections a a a a andthe top piece a having openings a, (1 60 bent and seen red together toform the body of the box, partition B andpartition B to form withthcfront of the box a closed receiving-compartment, and the door L for saidcompartment,

substantially as shown and described.

5. In a letter-box, the combination, with the topof the box a ,'havingthe openings at and a, of the hinged partition B, hinged near one ofsaid openings, and the inwardly-projecting flange or strip b, arrangedto prevent access shown and described.

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature in presence of two WltIlGSSGS.

GEORGE D. SIDMAN. Witnesses:

CLARENCE E. DAWSON, VM. H. DE LACY.

to the hinges of the partition, substantiallyas'

